Atlanta Braves reliever Andrew McKirahan has been suspended for 80 games for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.
According to MLB.com, McKirahan’s positive test was done in March., before he joined the Braves. He informed his teammates of the suspension on Sunday. McKirahan tested positive for an unidentified substance and he believes that the substance he tested positive for could have been in the cream that he applied to his arm during Spring training. Fox Sports, which first reported the suspension, reports that McKirahan tested positive for Ipamorelin, according to MLB Communications.
“Obviously we’re very disappointed with this one,” Braves president of baseball operations John Hart told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “This is a guy who was beginning to make himself felt in our bullpen. As you know we’ve had a lot of dings in that bullpen.”
McKirahan was a Rule 5 pick acquired by the Miami Marlins from the Chicago Cubs. The Braves acquired McKirahan after he was waived by the Marlins. This season he has a 4.15 ERA, two strikeouts, a walk, and has allowed three hits and two runs in four and a third innings, according to Fox Sports.
McKirahan is the second Braves player to be suspended for violating the drug policy this season. Arodys Vizcaino was suspended for 80 games after testing positive for Stanozolol. McKirahan is the third player to be suspended for PED’s this month, joining Jenrry Mejia of the New York Mets and Ervin Santana of the Minnesota Twins.
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